


Tetigit per Mortem

by petra666



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Attempt at Humor, F/F, F/M, Female Harry Potter, Good Slytherins, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Multi, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slytherin Harry Potter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:15:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25628080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/petra666/pseuds/petra666
Summary: Harriet Potter found out that she is a witch, a Girl-Who-Lived and so much more than a little weird girl living under the stairs....and the author, again, understood why she hates summaries -_-
Comments: 5
Kudos: 34





	1. Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Do not own Harry Potter - but I did come up with this idea so please, don't steal.

Harriet Potter was a weird child with an immortal smile on her small round face. Her aunt dressed her in flowy dresses because her son's clothing swallowed the malnutritioned child like her husband swallows chips. With ease and unnaturally quickly. Harriet liked flower designs and always looked for them in the pile of dresses for one quid – Petunia stopped caring when the dress she picked shrunk to the size of a doll.

  
Even though she loved pictures of greenery so much, any flower under her gentle care died – that was the only reason why she wasn't taking care of the garden in front of Dursleys house. She did everything else – cooking, washing the dished, cleaning, doing the laundry, painting the fence and many more chores that her uncle came up with every morning.

When she wasn't slaving away in her family's house she was a diligent student in a primary school. Teachers liked her and some of them asked her about her family when she came to school with bruises on her bony arms and legs. However, she never complained about anything and just brushed them off. Harriet was a smart girl but misinformation made her think that orphanage would be worse than the abuse she endured at home.

Sadly, she couldn't run away from the abuse even in the school because her cousin Dudley went there too. He was the biggest kid in their class and not only because he was a year older than most. He was held back a year because of his horrible grades and made a name in the bullying business. His favourite victim was Harriet - and when the teacher told his parents they did nothing. Yes, it stopped for a week or two, however, it started again and when there were no bruises from chubby little hands, they were bigger and hidden under her light coloured dress.

If she lived in a loving family, she would be a person with a heart of gold. Although she was kind and generally very nice, there was slyness and cleverness that not many people saw in the tiny fay-like child.

* * *

„Get the mail, freak.“

„Yes, uncle Vernon,“ answered Harriet with a small smile and hopped off the chair. She took the letters and newsletter from the ground and quickly went through them. When she saw her name on an old-looking envelope she looked around herself and put it in the waistband of her underwear. One of her hands smoothed down her periwinkle blue summer dress and the second squeezed rest of the mail to her chest. She deposited it on the dining table and started doing dishes with a happy smile almost splitting her dry lips.

Before she gets to work on her daily assignment she went to her closet, took a hair elastic from one of the dusty shelves and hid her letter behind the old mattress. After a few hours of dusting, vacuuming and mowing the lawn she finally came inside her claustrophobic room, hungry and tire. But before her slumber, she broke open the wax seal and opened the mysterious letter.

* * *

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_

_Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

_Dear Ms Potter,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

_Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress_

**_UNIFORM_ **

_First-year students will require:_

_1\. Three sets of plain work robes (black)_

_2\. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear_

_3\. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)_

_4\. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)_

_Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags._

**_COURSE BOOKS_ **

_All students should have a copy of each of the following:_

_The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk_

_A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot_

_Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling_

_A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch_

_One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore_

_Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger_

_Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander_

_The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble_

**_OTHER EQUIPMENT_ **

_1 wand_

_1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)_

_1 set glass or crystal phials_

_1 telescope_

_1 set brass scales_

_Students may also bring if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad._

_PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK!_

_Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus_

_Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions_

* * *

Without any hesitation, she ripped one sheet of paper out of her notebook and wrote a quick answer.

The following day, around five am, she looked outside for an owl, just like the instructions said. Two were sitting on a tree she used as a hiding spot not only once when she ran away from her uncle's sister's dog. Harriet liked animals but Ripper made her scared of small dogs after he bit her ankle with his needle-sharp teeth.

One of the owls descended from their perch and sat on her hastily offered arm. „How do I give it to you?“ she asked the animal. The small brown owl hooted kindly and extended their leg on which dangled a leather strap. After some finagling, she finally managed to strap her letter into it, extended her arm away from her body a with closed eyes she waited for the owl to leave her. And the bird did exactly that – after many hours of flight it arrived at the office of Deputy Headmistress, the one and only Minerva McGonagall.

Professor McGonagall was genuinely surprised that the letter was encased in the already used envelope. That and the name on it shocked her. With vigour she opens up the taped parchment casing of a document, that was important for her. She was so excited to meet the daughter of her favourite students and after school, her friends and co-members in the Order of Pheonix.

_Dear Minerva McGonagall,_

_Please accept this letter as my formal acceptance of the offered position as a student at Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry. I thank you for the opportunity, and I look forward to studying magic._

_But I require additional information because before today I had no idea that magic is real. I have no money to pay for tuition but I guess that will not be a problem because I was already accepted?_

_Would you be so kind and send me some information pamphlet to help me with understanding your wold? And where am I supposed to buy supplies? Is there some financial help for students that don't have the means to pay for everything?_

_Thank you again for giving me the opportunity to learn about magic._

_Sincerely,_

_Harriet Potter_

Her answer was short, telling the Girl-Who-Lived a date and time when she will arrive. She got even quicker reply with seven ‚than you’s in three sentences, which tickled her funny bone like a good prank. A week after that, she met Harriet Potter in person.


	2. Shopping

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do not own Harry Potter - but I did come up with this idea so please, don't steal.

She didn't look like her parents – at least not as much as people thought she would. Her hair was ginger, but so pale it was almost blond. Her eyes were green, but again, a lot paler than her mothers. The only thing she inherited from Lily to a point was a cute upturned nose. She had her father's mouth – kind of wide, lips not full nor thin and his messy hair, even though hers were longer and different colour. But there were other things, like her face shape, angled eyebrows and a long neck that reminded her of the Black sisters – surely that was the blood of her grandmother showing. But none of her ancestors was as short as the last Potter.

Minerva thought she knew how tall is normal eleven years old, even though she never had one of her own. Around four feet seven was the average, but little Harriet was measly four feet tall. And how thin she was! She looked more like a skeleton and Minerva was getting angrier. She told Albus that Dursleys were horrible people, the worse type of Muggle there was, but no! They are family and stupid things like that. However, she didn't act on her feelings and smiled at the girl, who looked more like eight years old.

„Hello, Ms Potter.“

„Hi, Professor McGonagall. Nice to meet you!“ She smiled at her widely, one of her upper teeth missing. It made her even more adorable.

„The pleasure is on my side. Would you like to talk here or are you more excited about Diagon Alley?“

„I'm excited about everything, professor. Are we going to get there by bus or do you have some magical way?“

„We could take the Knight bus or I could apparate us there.“

„Apparate, professor?“

„It means magic would take us from here to there. It makes most people sick but you will get used to it.“

„Oh! That sounds like fun! Will I learn that too?“

„After you are at least seventeen years old, Ms Potter.“

„You can call me Harriet, professor. All my teachers in primary school did. Can we apparate, please?“

„Of course, just give me your hand.“ Harriet grabbed three long fingers before she felt an unpleasant tug in her bellybutton and almost fell on her knees with stomach acids in the mouth. She swallowed with a grimace and put a wide smile on her thin face. „That was weird, professor. I think I like it!“

„Really? Well, most people puke when they apparate first so I guess you are natural.“

„Thanks. So, you wrote something about me having money from my parents?“

„Yes – your family is quite old and thanks to that your inheritance is more than enough for you to study without a problem.“

„And how do I get to that money?“

„I got your key – it is something like muggle credit cards.“

„Muggle?“

„Non-magical people. See that big building?“ She pointed at a white marble building standing tall and intimidating above the other shops. People walked around it like bussy bees, sometimes they walked in and more often they avoided it with a wide arc. „That is Gringotts, our Bank. Gringotts are creatures that look after our money and finances. You should act politely but don't trust them – they are greedy and nasty when angered.“

„Ok, professor. Can I have my key?“ Puppy eyes were a surprise to the older woman but after that, she just smiled and gave Harriet the small key.

„Here – if you lose it, you will need to ask for a blood test and a new one, which is not cheap. We can try to find a leather string or a necklace for it after we buy everything you need.“ The girl nodded and with excitement in her step she went to the bank. Minerva walked close behind her, so nobody bumps into the frail child. They walked around a few interesting shops and Harriet visibly found EVERYTHING interesting. She looked from one side of the alley to the other and even peeked into the dark sister of Diagon Alley, Knockturn Alley. Her teacher hurried her from that one.

„These are Gringotts, professor?“ she asked when they stopped in front of marble stairs. Above the door, she read a menacing poem:

_Enter, stranger, but take heed_

_Of what awaits the sin of greed,_

_For those who take, but do not earn,_

_Must pay most dearly in their turn,_

_So if you seek beneath our floors_

_A treasure that was never yours,_

_Thief, you have been warned, beware_

_Of finding more than treasure there._

„Yes. They are also called Goblins – you will learn about them in the History of Magic. I recommend buying a book about modern history. Professor Bins talks a lot about Goblin Wars but on O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s there are quite a few things from the recent history.“

„They are some type of test?“

„Yes, you will take them in the fifth and seventh year of study. O.W.L., Ordinary Wizarding Level, helps you to know in which subject you are really good and N.E.W.T, Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test, helps you to get a job. But that is in the future. Let's go,“ she pat her fair head and walked slowly up the stairs. Harriet followed.

‚These are Goblins? But the professor said they were nasty creatures… but they are sooo cute!‘ She smiled at the guardians in front of a tall wooden door, who looked at her with surprise. „Hello,“ she did a quick curtsy and rushed after the older woman. She left two speechless goblins behind, who looked after her with surprised eyes.

She looked around with wide eyes – Harriet never visited bank but she thought that normal one wouldn't look as pretty and extravagant as this one. She saw the wizards – everybody seemed a little old fashioned, like people from the history books and old films. And old fashioned is always fancy.

„We came to take out money from Harriet Potters account,“ said professor without any polite words like hello or please. Harriet looked at her with a displeased grimace on her face and when they were lead into a cart, she talked with the goblin responsible for them.

„Thank you for taking care of us, Mr Gringotts,“ she bowed her head, only because she was already seated. McGonagall looked at her weirdly but the ginger ignored her.

„Griphook, Ms Potter. And no need to thank me, this is part of my job,“ he said surprisingly nicely – if you overlook his toothy grin. ‚So precious,‘ squealed the little girl in her own mind.

„It's common courtesy. Do you goblins use different words of thanks?“

„No, not really – we only use different words to greet and say goodbye.“

„Really? Can you-“

„Harriet, stop annoying him,“ said the strčit professor, but she was ignored.

„Can you teach me?“

„We have no time Ms Potter but I can recommend you a book.“

„Please, tell me.“

„It's called ‚The World of Our Banks and How to Be The Best Costumer‘. Mouthfull but I heard positive reviews from my co-workers.“

„Thanks for the help, Mr Griphook.“

Few minutes after that they finally arrived at their destination. Griphook opened the big vault door and before anyone could stop her, Harriet ran into one of the piles of metallic coins. Loud giggles brought a smile on the wrinkly face of an old woman and the goblin smirked. Thankfully for the girl, there was no need to tidy up.

„Here you have a money pouch that comes free with your vault.“ She caught the thrown pouch and started to put in it fistfuls of shinies. „The golden ones are called Galleons, silver ones are Sickles and bronze Knuts. There is 17 Sickles in a Galleon, 29 Knuts in a Sickle and consequently 493 Knuts in Galleon.“

„How much is one Galleon in pounds?“

„4.93 pounds. £ 0.29 is one Sickle and £0.01 is one Knut. Is it all?“

„I guess so. Thank you Mr Griphook!“ Nothing interesting happened on the way back and event he shopping was uneventful in the eyes of future Lady Potter – not counting the overwhelming excitement and waterfall of questions that fell on the poor cat animagus. They bought the robes which went smoothly, stationary, potion ingredients and other equipment for her classes were interesting but overall not that thrilling. All of that went into her fancy trunk with spells making it at least triple its size thanks to 3 departments in it. It was also feather-light and locked with a password. After that pricy purchase, she spent most of her money on books – and not all of them were new ones, she bought second-hand ones so she paid a lot less money for loads of books. Then they went to Flourish and Boots for books she couldn't find.

„Our last stop - Ollivander's,“ professor McGonagall stopped in front of the dingy looking shop. After an unusually long visit, Harriet finally found a wand. Yew with the core made by Phoenix feather. He needed to extract the core and put it into the long wand because non of the pre-made wands worked. HE called it the twin wand to the wand of You-Know-Who, however, there were subtle differences. Mostly the shape, because her wand was slender to an extreme and a full inch longer, without any pretty carvings. Because it was longer than her forearm, she bought a special casing for it.

„That was fun,“ said the pale red-head with a skip in her step. Her teacher wasn't as happy, mostly the exact opposite. Her face was pale and her hands shook. Brother wands are not normal, but twin wands are full-on legendary. That couldn't be good, could it?


End file.
